


Hearthway Hollow: Shahan

by TheTravelerWrites



Series: Commissions [13]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anxiety, Death, Exophilia, F/M, Guns, Hearthway Hollow, Iftar, Islamic Holiday, Knotting, Muslim Character, Muslim Monster, Oral Sex, Ramadan, Reader Insert, Reader-Insert, Sex, Shooting Guns, Stalker, Stalking, Werewolf, Werewolf Sex, abusive language, werewolf boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-27 16:01:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20048728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTravelerWrites/pseuds/TheTravelerWrites
Summary: This is a belated birthday gift for @momolady! While fleeing a man who has made her life hell for years and looking for an out of the way place to hide, the reader stumbles upon a town that isn't on any map: Hearthway Hollow.





	1. Chapter 1

Erring on the side of caution had never done much good for you. Erring on the side of paranoid worked much better.

You researched on your phone about out-of-the-way towns that would be good to settle in if you wanted peace and quiet, and cross referenced them with maps, and you found one town that didn’t appear on any map at all: Hearthway Hollow.

The town had a strange reputation, but you believed most of what you read online as much as you believed in Santa Claus. It was supposed to be a front for some kind of cult, though honestly, you’d sell your soul at this point if it meant safety and stability.

Driving through it, you had to admit the town was beautiful, like something on a postcard. The buildings were nice in an old fashioned, small-town kind of way, most of them red brick. The people you saw walking the sidewalks and in the shops looked weirdly happy and contented. All of them. It was… odd, like a _Stepford Wives_ kind of thing. Maybe this _was_ a cult town.

Eh, who were you to judge people’s lifestyle?

This was the third time you’d changed towns in the last six months, and you hoped you’d be in this town long enough to earn a savings that would cover your next terrified midnight flight. You’d been sleeping in your van to save funds for about a week, moving constantly, having only enough money in your pocket to pay for a few months rent, at most.

After driving for a while, you didn’t see any sort of town hall or city center, so you stopped at the hardware store, which to your eye appeared to be the heartbeat of the town, and went inside. There was a tiny young woman with dark hair and thick eyebrows sitting on a stool at the counter, flipping through a magazine.

“Hey there!” She said as you enter. “Haven’t seen you before.”

“Yeah,” You said, your hoodie up and your hands in your pockets. “I’m looking to rent a place and I’m not sure who I should talk to about that. I didn’t see any kind of notice board or realtor signs, so…”

“Oh, well, you’ve come to the right place, then,” The woman said with a laugh. “You’ll be wanting to talk to my dad, Big Billy MacAllister. He owns more than half the town.”

You gave a small, tired shrug. “Okay, great, how do I get in touch with him?”

“Just a sec,” She said, jumping off her stool and going to a door behind the counter that said “Employees Only.”

“Hey, Dad! Someone here for you!”

“Coming!” You heard a gruff voice bark back.

“He’ll be right with you,” The young woman said brightly, getting back up on her perch.

The door opened, and a mountain of a man walked out, all muscles, beer gut, and body hair. You took a dubious step back as he circled the counter, wiping his hands.

“What can I do for you?” He grumbled.

“I’m told you’re the person to see to rent a place in town?” You said.

“Yep,” He replied. “What are you looking for?”

“Something small and cheap. Like, studio apartment,” I said. “In town, not in the woods. Somewhere where there’s a lot of light, surrounded on all sides by buildings, preferably buildings that have security cameras positioned toward the streets. And I need to move in quickly.”

His head rocked back at the laundry list of demands you’d just rattled off. “Uh… sure, the apartment above the hardware store is actually empty right now, so if you’d like that, you’re welcome to it.”

“What kind of locks does it have?” You asked.

“I’m sorry, what?” He responded, his thick brow furrowing.

“_What kind of locks does it have?_” You repeated with more emphasis. “And how long are the screws in the door hinges?”

“Uh… It has a standard doorknob lock and deadbolt,” He said, sounding a little confused. “And the hinge screws are… I dunno, four inch.”

“Not good enough,” You replied. “The screws need to be at least nine inches, and there needs to be a sliding lock in addition to the standard locks. I’ll buy them out of pocket and install them myself, if you don’t want to do it.”

The guy called Big Billy laughed a little, this sides of his mouth turning up under all that facial hair. “You expectin’ an attack or something?”

You didn’t laugh. Or smile. You just stared at him. “I also need to know who’s hiring in town, if you’d happen to know about that.”

“The grocery store is always hiring,” The young woman said, watching the interaction between you and her father with intense interest.

“Great, thanks,” You told her, then turned back to her dad. “When can I move in? Do you need me to give you a deposit or fill out an application?”

“Nah, I’m not worried about that,” He replied. “I just need your name and social for insurance purposes.”

You told him, and his daughter jotted it down.

“I’ve got some stuff stored up there, so give me a day to clean it out and it’ll be good to go,” He said. “Will that do?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” You replied. “Last question: does this town have a shooting range?”

The father and daughter shared a surprised look.

“Yeah, the police station has one that’s open to the public, but you have to make an appointment. You can’t just walk in and start shooting.”

“Cool,” You replied. “I’ll come back tomorrow for the keys, then.”

“Sure,” He said, still staring at you as if you were a puzzle to be solved. Before he could ask a question you didn’t want to answer, you turned and walked out of the shop, deciding to go and apply at the grocery store next.

You’d never seen a grocery store that didn’t sell meat, but they told you the butcher had the monopoly on that. You submitted your application and, when they asked your address and you told them it was the hardware store, they had a funny look on their face, but they accepted it without remark. They said they’d call you in a few days.

That night, you drove out of town and stopped at a rest area that was brightly lit and on a main highway. It had vending machines, water fountains, and showers. You refilled all of your empty water containers, had a quick wash in the showers, bought a dinner of coke and honey buns, then locked yourself into your van. Your futon mattress was laid out in the back, next to which was a locked travel trunk with all of your worldly possessions in it. Underneath your pillow was a loaded .22 and a twelve inch buck knife.

You removed your hoodie and took the can of mace, taser, and pocket knife out of your pants and lay them next to you on the mattress, so they were in easy reach. You lay down on your bed, fully clothed, and clicked a button on the key fob to set the car alarm. Sleep was slow in coming.

The next day, you went back to the hardware store and met up with Big Billy.

“Ah, I’m glad you came in early. I decided to upgrade you,” He told you.

“You made the changes to the door?” You asked.

“Nope,” He said. “There’s another property of mine I think you’ll like. It’s small and comfortable, and surrounded by a high fence. Here’s the keys.” He handed you a keyring with two keys on it.

You frowned a little. The store’s upstairs apartment was more defensible. “If I don’t like it, can I still have the apartment upstairs?”

“Sure,” Billy said, shrugging. “But I have a feeling you’ll love it.”

Your frown deepened with doubt, but you thanked him.

“It’s on Plymouth Road. Red house with a white door. Number 6557.”

“Got it,” You said. “And the doors?”

“I fixed ‘em up, like you asked,” He replied.

“Good. Thanks.”

You exited the store and headed over to Plymouth Road.

When you arrived at the house, you noticed immediately that there was a high privacy fence that went from the garage around the back of the house. Beyond that, there were trees. You grimaced. You’d specifically told him you didn’t want to be close to the woods.

But then, you realize who your neighbors were, and couldn’t help but smile. On the left was a normal house with a picket fence, and on the right, just next door, was the police station.

Maybe this would work out after all.

Moving your belongings into the house took all of fifteen minutes, and when you were finished, you walked next door to the station. At the desk was a young man in a uniform, perhaps in his mid-to-late twenties, tall, slender, and fit, with dark skin and black hair. He was writing something on a notepad but looked up when you walked in. He had the most peculiar but pretty gold-green eyes. His badge said “Madhwari.”

He paused for a moment when he saw you, his mouth open and the pupils of his eyes dilating slightly. You assumed you looked pretty shady with your hoodie up and your hunched posture, but he smiled after a few seconds, cleared his throat, and said, “Hello there. What can I do for you, ma’am?”

“Hi. I was told you guys have a shooting range, but that I’d need to make an appointment.”

“That’s right,” He replied. “I’ll need to see your gun license.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out a form. “Fill this out, please.”

You took out your wallet and pulled your license from it and handed it to him. He handed you a pen in return. As much as you disliked leaving a paper trail, you filled out the form.

“Ah, you’re the new girl next door, eh?” The officer said. “Billy told us about you.”

You frowned in annoyance. That Big Billy had a big mouth.

“When can I use the shooting range?” You asked.

“Well,” the officer said, handing back your license. “We’re slow at the moment, so if you’d like, you can use it now. Do you have your gun with you?”

“No, it’s at home.”

“Well, go get it and I’ll let you in.”

“Thanks, Officer Madhwari,” You said as you headed for the door.

“Eh, we’re not a last name kind of town. Call me Shahan,” He said, a wide smile on his face. You gave him back a ghost of a smile and left to retrieve your firearm.

Upon returning, another officer was at the desk, a freckle-faced guy with a scar and eyepatch who otherwise looked like he was an over-tall twelve year old playing at being cop.

“You’re the girl Shahan’s waiting for?” He asked. You nodded. “I’m Saul. Welcome to town.”

“Thanks,” you said, taking his proffered hand and shaking it. Jeez, was everyone in town this friendly? It was unnerving.

“He’s already in the range,” Saul said, pointing at the door to the far right. “Go straight through.”

“Cool,” You replied, and made your way to the door.

Shahan already had the goggles on and earmuffs around his neck with a second pair on a table waiting for you.

“Are you practicing, too?” You asked.

He shook his head. “Sorry, it’s policy for an officer to supervise when a civilian is in the range. That’s one of the reasons you need to make an appointment.”

“Gotcha,” You said.

“What are you shooting?” He asked, looking at your gun. “That’s a cute .22.”

“What do you shoot?” You asked him.

He pulled his sidearm from its holster and showed it to you. “Standard issue,” He said. It was a 9mm Glock 19. Nice. If you could afford one, you’d definitely have bought it instead of your Ruger SR. As functional as it was, you’d definitely have liked something with more accuracy and a bigger punch.

“Can I shoot it?” You asked him.

He winced and shook his head. “Sorry. I’d lose my job.”

“I get it,” You said. “No harm in asking, though.”

“I’ve got you a target set up,” He said, pointing down the range at a paper figure. “What distance you want?”

“Gimme… twenty feet?” You said.

“Ooh, advanced, I like it,” He said, pressing a button that sent the target farther down the range. You didn’t have much ammunition, but it was important to keep your skills sharp. You could buy more when you started work.

“Protection on before you draw your weapon, please,” He said, and you donned the goggles and earmuffs. Once you were ready, he stepped back to your right, so that you could see him but so he wasn’t in the way, and gave you the signal to shoot when ready.

You shot ten rounds, a few seconds apart, at the target at the end of the range, and then three rapid-fire. You put your weapon down on the shelf and took off the earmuffs. Shahan pulled the target in so you could inspect it. All headshots.

“Damn!” He said with admiration. “You’re a better shot than me! You should join the police!”

You snorted. “Pass, but thanks for the offer.”

“Want to go again?” He asked.

“No,” You said. “That’s enough.”

“Really?” He said, sounding kind of disappointed. “That’s it?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to make sure I’m still sharp,” You told him. “Thanks, Shahan.”

“My pleasure,” He replied, holding out a hand to shake it. “Let me know next time you’re wanting to shoot.”

“I will,” You said, then headed home, waving at Saul as you passed him.

That night, you were sitting on your futon, which you’d placed in the living room with the travel trunk, watching videos on your phone. You were having a hard time sleeping, when you heard a loud _THUMP_ in your backyard. Immediately you reached for your pistol and flashlight, holding them like the self defense teacher had showed you.

Carefully, you opened the back door a crack and called out, “I’m armed! Show yourself!”

Nothing.

You reached back and flipped on the back porch light, and there, in your yard, was a dead, bloody deer.

“What the fuck?” You breathed, lowering your flashlight and turning it off, but keeping your gun up and staying alert. How the hell had this thing gotten over the fence? While dead? Either it got over and then immediately died or something threw it over, and you weren’t sure which was more unsettling.

Going inside and reaching into your travel trunk, you pulled out a tarp and went back outside, rolling the poor thing into it and dragging it to the garage, which had a door to the backyard. You put the deer in the back of your van and started it up, backing out and heading out of town.

About ten minutes out, when you were surrounded by trees, you took the deer out of the van and dragged it several hundred yards beyond the treeline. Unwrapping it and rolling the tarp up with the intention of rinsing it off with the hose tomorrow morning, you left the poor thing there for the forest creatures to eat.

The next morning, after a bad night’s sleep, you cleaned the tarp and laid it out in the sun to dry. You were just thinking about breakfast when you heard a knock on the door. Standing there was a man with olive skin and greyish salt and pepper hair. He was wearing an apron.

“Morning!” He said brightly. “I’m Harun, I work at the butcher’s shop. I heard something about a deer?”

You frowned. “From who? I didn’t call anyone.”

“Your neighbors mentioned it,” He said, still maintaining a friendly smile.

You rolled your eyes and huffed. “Well, then, they need to mind their own business. I figure it got hurt and confused and jumped my fence. I’ve already taken care of it. I put it back in the woods, where it belongs.”

“Oh,” He replied, his smile faltering a bit. “Well, good job. But, just so you know, this kind of thing happens pretty frequently in this town. Next time, call us, okay? We donate unwanted meat to soup kitchens and shelters. Lots of hungry mouths that would appreciate the meal, you know?”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” You said. “But I’m hoping it doesn’t happen again.”

“Right,” He replied, laughing a little nervously. “Well, have a good day, ma’am.”

“Yep,” You said, shutting the door with a snap.

As the day wore on, you got a call from the grocery store telling you you could start in a few days. You celebrated by sleeping. You always slept better during the day.

That evening, you stayed awake, camped out on your back porch. You were feeling on edge. You didn’t really think the deer had somehow vaulted over the ten foot fence. Someone put it there. You’d had… anonymous gifts before, and you could go the rest of your life without more.

Eventually your eyelids began to droop and you weren’t going to fall asleep outside and exposed, so you went in, made sure everything was locked up tight, and fell asleep.

That morning, you walked out of your house, and three deer lay on your front lawn, each larger than the first one you’d found. Your body went cold your heart dropped down to your toes. You felt an steel band squeezing your chest and were having trouble breathing. You fought hard to keep the tears in check, but they were falling despite your best efforts. You took out your phone and called Billy.

He answered after one ring. “_Hello?_”

“Billy?” You said, sniffling. “I’m sorry, but I won’t need to be renting your property anymore. I’ll pay for the full month if you want, but I need to leave.”

“_Why? What’s going on?_” He asked, his gruff voice instantly alert and intense.

“I have to leave,” You sobbed into the phone. “I”m not safe.”

“_Stay there!_” He ordered you, his voice like iron. “_I’ll be there soon. Don’t go anywhere._”

The line went dead, and you fell to your knees in the grass.

“Hey, are you okay?” You heard a voice ask. Shahan had just pulled up in his police car, likely to start his shift, and saw you kneeling there. You were sobbing too hard to say anything. He jogged over and knelt with you, patting your back as you wept.

A few minutes passed, and Billy’s truck skidded to a stop in front of your house.

“What is it?” He asked, squatting down. “What happened? Is it the deer? That happens all the time here, it’s nothing.”

“No!” You moaned. “You don’t understand!”

Shahan sits you on the porch as the butcher’s truck pulls up. Great, more eyes to watch you have a meltdown. Wonderful. It’s the same butcher from yesterday, Harun, striding up quickly in concern.

“What’s happened, are you alright?”

“Would you guys just give me a second to catch my breath!” You blurt out. You’re tired of them asking you questions. You just want them to shut up for a minute.

Shahan went to his car and grabbed you a water while Billy and Harun waited for you to calm down. You drained the bottle in seconds and wiped your face on your hoodie sleeve.

“I have a stalker,” You admitted eventually.

“A stalker?” Shahan said.

“Why didn’t you mention this?” Billy asked gruffly.

“Because people have refused to rent to me before, that’s why,” You snapped.

“What makes you think it’s this stalker of yours?”

“He used to send me dead animals in the mail to scare me. That’s how I know this is him. Who else could it be? What kind of sick freak leaves dead animals on a person’s front lawn?”

The three men shared a grim, meaningful look between them.

“Look,” Billy said. “Don’t leave town yet, okay? There’s someone you need to talk to before you make that decision.”

“Who?”

Billy looked up at the butcher. “Harun, would you…?” Billy said, a question in his voice.

“Yeah, I’m on it,” He said, pulling out his cell phone.

Your hand was shaking as you pushed your hair out of your face and tried to stand. “I have to pack up.”

“Just _wait_,” Billy said. “Shahan and I will stay with you until they get here.”

“They _who_?” You asked.

“The town leaders,” He said. “They’ll have some things they want to discuss with you. For now, let’s get you inside.”

Shahan and Billy follow you into the house as Harun loaded the deer into his truck. Billy looked at the futon and trunk and frowned.

“Is this all you have?” Billy asked.

“This is all I need,” You replied flatly. “When you have to move quick, it helps not to have too much shit to haul around.”

After a few minutes of terse silence, there was a knock on the door. You tensed as Billy opened it.

Inside came a very old woman, a few men including another police officer, and the young woman from the hardware store. A youngish man with very curly blonde hair came in after everyone else. He looked at you and came forward, his hand extended, a kind smile on his attractive angel face. He seemed to have a weird glow about him that you couldn’t explain.

“I’m Adam,” He said, shaking your hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He turned to introduce the people who had come with him. “This is Mrs. Locklear, Delaynie, Beau, Canvas, Angelo, and Kamilla, whom you’ve met.” He laid a hand on your shoulder and squeezed gently. “I think we need to talk.”

“Okay,” You said suspiciously. “I know you told me your name, but that doesn’t actually tell me who you are.”

“For all intents and purposes, I guess you could say I’m… the mayor? Insomuch as this town needs a mayor,” Adam replied.

“Awful young to be a mayor,” You said, eyeing him up and down. “I’m guessing you didn’t win any sort of election.”

He tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Not as such. You’re pretty perceptive.”

“I’ve had to be.” You pulled your hoodie around you more tightly. “Being sharp has kept me alive.”

“Yes, about that,” The tall, dark man called Delaynie said. He looked an awful lot like Billy, but thinner and less tall. “We were given a very brief summary, but can you elaborate on this situation of yours?”

“Why does it matter?” You asked, feeling exhausted and exasperated.

“We may be able to protect you, but we need to know more about it,” Canvas said. “There’s a lot of families and kids in this town, and we need to make sure everyone is protected.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” You said, rubbing your eyes. “I’m sorry I brought this here.”

Adam stopped you by raising his hand. “That’s not what he meant,” He said. “He means we aren’t strangers to defending this town and its people against threats. We just need to know what we could be dealing with.”

After a moment’s hesitation, you went to your trunk and pulled out a file, handing it to Adam.

“His name is Richard Gish,” You said. “He’s in his late forties and has got a history of stalking, starting from early high school. I’m just his latest fixation.”

“Is this a police file?” The other officer, Angelo, asked, looking over Adam’s shoulder. “How did you get this?”

“Is that really a question you want answered?” You asked flatly. “You have it. It’s easier than making an inquiry, isn’t it?”

“When did this start?” Shahan asked.

“Three years ago. I started getting letters in the mail. They were creepy and odd, love letters from a guy I’d never met. When I didn’t respond, they became aggressive. I tried to ignore it, but I started getting pictures with the letters. Pictures of me taken from a long way off. Pictures of me coming out of my job, going into my gym, outside my house. He was following me.”

“Did you report it to the police?” Angelo asked, still reading the file.

“Of course I did, but they said they couldn’t do anything unless he actually tried to hurt me. So I moved. And he followed.” You sniffled and rubbed your face with both hands. “He finally came up to me on a crowded street and introduced himself, and I slapped him and told him to leave me alone. After that, he went from professing his love for me to threatening to kill me and my family. I went into hiding about two years ago.”

“How serious has it gotten? Has he done more than letters and threats?” Shahan asked.

“Half a year ago, he broke into my apartment and attacked me with a knife. I shot him, but he disappeared. I’ve been on the move ever since, sleeping in my van in between towns. But he’s always managed to track me down. I’ve only been here three days and he’s found me again.”

“You’re talking about the deer, right?” The rather tall old woman named Mrs. Locklear asked. She had a presence about her as well, but it was different from Adam’s.

“Yeah,” You said.

“There’s another explanation for that,” Adam replied.

“Which would be?”

He smiled almost apologetically. “This isn’t a normal town.”

“I gathered that,” You said sardonically.

“I’m sure you have,” He said. “The deer are gifts from someone in town who admires you.”

You squinted in confusion. “What kind of people leave dead animals as gifts?”

“Werewolves.”

He said this without a trace of mirth or mockery. You blinked slowly. “Look, I don’t have time for whatever bullshit cult nonsense this town is into--”

“Beau,” Adam said, turning to a large man with an incredible amount of scars on his face and arms.

Beau stepped forward and said, “Don’t be scared, okay?” And suddenly he began to grow and change, fur sprouting from his skin and his bones rearranging themselves into a new shape. His sudden growth stretched his already tight t-shirt. He didn’t shift completely; he was still standing on his back two paws and his front paws were still functional as hands, but they had paw pads and claws.

They were all looking at you like they expected you to scream or freak out, but you had no reaction, you simply stared at Beau in his new form. You came closer and inspected him, even circling him once, appraising his strength in this body, satisfied with what you could see.

“It ain’t you, is it?” You asked him suspiciously. “The deer?”

“Oh, god, no,” He said, his voice more rough in this form. “No offense, but I’m married.”

“Fair enough,” You replied, and he shifted back into his human form.

“You’re taking this a lot better than I expected,” Adam said.

“I’ve seen scarier things,” You said blackly. “So, this isn’t Gish, but some rando werewolf in your town who saw me and thought I was cute or something?”

“There’s a bit more to it than that,” Adam said. Behind him, his people were passing the file around and studying the picture of Gish in it. “Werewolves know their mates upon seeing them, and once they recognize them, they begin a ritual. It starts with the animals. Hunting is our way of showing a potential mate that we can provide for them. After the gifts, they introduce themselves in their wolf forms, allowing you to gauge their worthiness. Once you accept them, they scent you, so that other weres know your off the market, so to speak. Then the final part of the mating ritual is… well… mating. You usually don’t know who it is until after the ritual is over, unless you’ve managed to guess beforehand.”

You had your arms folded during this explanation and took a moment to absorb it all. “No offense to your whole town dynamic or anything,” you began slowly. “But that’s the creepiest shit I’ve ever heard.”

“I can see how it might look to an outsider, certainly--” Adam said, but you stopped him this time.

“No, you really don’t,” You replied, going back to the trunk and pulling out a piece of paper. “Read the first paragraph of that.”

“What is it?” Adam asked, frowning.

“It’s the first letter he sent me.”

Adam, brow furrowed, began to read aloud. “_’You don’t know me, but I have seen you many times. I don’t have the words to describe how beautiful you are. The moment I saw you, I’…_” Adam paused, a grimace on his face. “_’I knew you were my soulmate. We were meant for each other. And I won’t stop until I prove it to you.’_”

There was a discontented murmur through his group. You were sure it was strange to them to see their own ritual turn on its head into something sinister and threatening.

“Do you get it now?” You asked Adam.

“I believe I do, yes,” He said, handing the paper back.

“So, you’re offering protection,” You said, folding the paper up and putting it in your pocket. “I’m guessing you’re all--”

“Ah, let me stop you there,” Adam said. “I am the Alpha werewolf in town. That much you’re allowed to know. But we have rules. Rule number one, you can’t ask who is a werewolf and who isn’t. Two, you can’t guess out loud or gossip about it with other people. Three, if you know someone who is a werewolf, you can’t tell anyone.”

“That seems highly impractical.”

“Perhaps so,” Adam admitted with a smile. “But it’s kept this town and its residents safe and free from scrutiny from the outside, and that’s very important to us. I’m sure that’s a sentiment you can understand.”

You nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, I get it. So I can’t ask if you know who’s been leaving me these… offerings, then.”

He shook his head, his blonde curls bouncing around his face. “I’m afraid not.”

“Fine,” You assented. “But could you pass along the message that I’m not interested?”

“I can,” He said. “Now, if you want to leave, we won’t stop you. But you’re tired; I can see it in your face. We can offer you protection, if you’re willing to stay. Living here makes you one of us, and we look after our own. You have my promise on that.”

You sighed. “I’ll give it a shot,” You said, shrugging noncommittally. “But one more dead thing, and I’m out of here.”

He held up his hands in placation. “I completely understand. I hope we can make you feel safe.”

“Me, too,” You said.

“We’ll leave you, then,” Adam said, nodding at his generals, and they began to file out of the house. “Please let us know if you have any trouble. We’ll do what what can to help.” He held out his hand again.

You took it. “I appreciate that.”

He nodded in farewell and followed the others out. Billy was the only one left. He folded his arms across his chest and regarded you with a fierce expression.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in trouble, kid?” He grumbled, sounding angry.

“I told you why,” You said. “Like I said, people have refused to rent to me before. I’ve been fired from jobs. One town sheriff literally told me to leave and that he’d arrest me if I ever came back.”

“Well, we ain’t like that,” Billy said. “I hope we’ve managed to drill that into your thick skull.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” You said, swatting at him. “Now get out of my house, old man.”

He snorted, the corner of his lip turning up. “No wonder you’ve outrun this asshole so long. Made of stone, you are.”

You nodded in acknowledgement, shrugging one shoulder.

“Take care, kid,” He said, and let himself out.

That night, you went to take the trash to the bin and stopped in your tracks. There, at the end of the walkway that led from the front door to the sidewalk, sat a wolf. It had a golden coat with black fur running from between his ears, down his back, to the tip of his tail. It was large and tall, but unlike Beau, who was solid and broad, this one was slim, with skinny legs and a short coat, almost like a coyote. From the way it was sitting, you could tell it was male. His ears were flat against his head, and he whimpered slightly.

“Am I assuming you’ve come here to apologize?”

He gave a weak bark, trying not to make too much noise, laying down on the pathway and not attempting to come closer. You threw the trash bag into the bin that was next to the house, and sat down on the porch, resting your elbows on your knees.

“You know, you remind me of a mutt I had when I was a kid. You’re lucky I loved that dog.” You waved him up. “Come on.”

He immediately got up and joined you on the porch.

“Stay a wolf,” You said warningly. “I’m tired of dealing with people, even wolf people.”

He bobbed his head once, which you took as agreement.

You looked out, able to see the main street of the town from where you sat. It was late, so the town was quiet.

“It’s pretty here,” You mused, talking to yourself, really, but out loud so that he could hear, too. “I wouldn’t mind staying. Though… I really wish I could go home.”

He lay down next to you with his front paws dangling from the step, looking up at you as you spoke, quiet and attentive.

“I haven’t seen my mother in two years,” You said, still looking at the town but no longer seeing it. “I have two brothers, one older and one younger. My older one was having a baby with his wife. My younger brother was in highschool. They don’t even know what’s happened to me, you know. I told them about the stalker, but when it got serious, I just… left. I didn’t call them or leave a note.”

You sighed. “Maybe they think he kidnapped me and I’m dead. Maybe they’ve mourned me and moved on. Maybe, if I ever go back, they won’t want to see me.”

You didn’t realize you were crying until the wolf licked your cheeks. You let yourself break down. He put his head on your shoulder and licked your ears, and you put your arm around him and stroked his fur. God, you missed that dog.

You sat there for hours, talking to yourself and the wolf sitting next to you. You’d spent the last two years keeping everything about yourself quiet, so actually letting it out was extremely cathartic. You talked until your throat was dry, cried until you had no tears left, and pet the wolf the entire time. He never spoke, just let you get everything out and listened.

“God, I’m tired,” You said eventually, rubbing your eyelids. You looked at the wolf sitting next to you, narrowing your eyes a little. “If you stay a wolf, you can come in. Unless you’ve got wolf stuff to do.”

He jumped up and smiled that cute doggy smile, tongue sticking out and everything. You rolled your eyes and got up, opening the door and going inside with him on your heels. While standing, he came up above your hip.

You sat on your futon, taking off your hoodie to get ready for bed. You took your self defense items out and laid them in their usual place on the bed. He sat on the outside of the futon, bowing his head and whimpering.

You sighed. “Don’t shed on my futon.”

He barked and bound onto the mattress, laying down next to you. The warmth of his large body was welcome, and you fell asleep much more quickly than normal.

When you woke, he was gone. There was a note on the pillow next to you. Pushing down your natural paranoia, you opened it.

_I had to go to work, but I’ll come back tonight, if that’s okay. And I promise, no more dead animals. How about some take out instead? Do you like Chinese?_

_\--S_

You smirked. Damn it, he was smooth. It was hard to push him away, especially as a wolf. The silent presence and warmth of him close by last night was… comforting. Comfort was something that had been in short supply over the last couple of years. You were suddenly thinking that maybe you should get a dog.

Now that you realized he wasn’t like Gish, you were starting to wonder who he really was. You still weren’t interested in a romance, not yet, but the mystery was intriguing, only made more so by the fact that you couldn’t ask anyone about it.

After breakfast, you walked up to the grocery store to finish up the new hire paperwork, and saw Shahan as you came out.

“Oh, hey!” He said. “I wanted to check on you after yesterday. I was going to make a house call, but you weren’t home. How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay,” You said, surprising yourself by finding you actually did feel okay. “Honestly, the… special qualities of this town have me feeling a little safer. And the fact that you guys didn’t throw me out when you learned about my problem is nice. Having it out in the open is nice. Keeping it a secret is… really tiring.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” He said with a chuckle.

“I can’t ask you…” You started, and he shook his head.

“Sorry,” He replied regretfully.

You shrugged. “It’s okay. I always liked a good mystery.”

He smiled warmly. “Well, I’m glad you’re in better spirits. You had us worried yesterday.”

“Sorry about that,” You said, wincing. “It was just scared and overwhelmed.”

He held his hands up. “No, I totally understand. If I were in your shoes, I’d have freaked out, too. We’re stepping up security around the town, just in case. Adam has also ordered his most trusted to do rounds in the woods around the town. If he comes anywhere near here, we’ll catch him.”

You took a big breath and released it. “That’s a huge relief. This is the first time in a long time I’ve felt… hope.”

“Good,” He said, his smile very warm, his golden-green eyes sparkling in the sunlight. “I’m very glad.”

You felt warm under his gaze, and thought you might be blushing. “I… uh… I’m kinda tired. I think I’m going to go home and rest.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” He said, briefly touching your arm. You had to suppress a shiver. “Take care of yourself, okay? And remember, we’re right next door if you need us, so don’t be a stranger.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” You said, a real smile on your face for the first time in months.

That night, you waited on your front porch for the wolf. He showed up at half-past eight with a bag in his mouth.

“Stay a wolf,” You told him, and again he bobbed his head in understanding. “Come on up.”

He headed up the walkway and passed the bag to you. As promised, there was honey chicken, fried rice, and some eggrolls. You were so happy. You hadn’t had a meal that wasn’t a quick burger or a peanut butter sandwich in ages. You opened his take out box for him, and he wolfed his food down happily. You wondered if he found eating like this demeaning, but he didn’t seem to mind.

After you finished eating, you sat with him on the porch, watching the fireflies in the trees and listening to the sounds of the evening. His head lay in your lap and you stroked his ears absentmindedly. It was the most comfortable you’d been in a while.

“Listen,” You said quietly. He didn’t get up, but his ears quirked to listen to you better. “I know you think you’re in love with me, and maybe you are, but… I’m scared. I’m scared of being in another situation I can’t control. You understand that, don’t you?”

He gave a grumbling sort of whine, which you took to mean yes.

“I can’t get into a relationship. Not just with you, with anyone. Not until Gish is out of my life for good. So, for now… I can’t know who you are. It would make this whole thing weird for me. I’d feel like you were only interacting with me because of some biological imperative that really doesn’t have anything to do with me. I didn’t choose this, you know?”

Another grumble.

“But… I do like your company. It’s nice to have someone I can talk to. Maybe it’s because as a full wolf, you can’t talk back, but it feels like I can tell you anything and you won’t pass judgment on me.”

You sighed, and paused in your petting. He lifted his head from your lap and sat up, looking at you with earnest eyes.

“If you want to keep seeing me as a wolf, that’d be okay with me. But only if it’s okay with you. And don’t base the decision on this magical connection we’re supposed to have. Really think about it seriously. If it would be difficult or painful or offensive to you to keep coming here as a wolf and not a man, I get that. It’s up to you. We should both have a choice.”

He took a moment to consider, then he lay back down, putting his head in your lap again, sighing contentedly.

You smiled down at him and resumed the pets. “I guess I have my answer.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader spends several happy months in Hearthway Hollow, getting to know the people there, when her past catches up with her and she finally discovers the identity of her wolf admirer.

Three months had passed blissfully in Hearthway Hollow. Your job at the store acquainted you with just about every face in town, so soon you were on a first name basis with most everyone. Strangely, though there were rules against talking about the werewolves, they weren’t all that shy about shifting in public, particularly the kids. The first time you saw a mom trying to rein in the fuzzy puppy that was her child, you thought you were going to have a conniption fit and die from the cuteness.

After Billy had seen what squalor you lived in, he made it his mission to furnish the small house to the rafters. There was a proper table and chairs, a king sized bed, a couch, and lots of piddly house stuff you’d always made it a point not to be burden with, like hand towels. There was even a TV! With cable! And Netflix!

He also insisted you come over on the weekends to have dinner with his family, and you became fast friends with tiny, ferocious Kamilla. Ivan and Ellie, Kamilla’s siblings, were incredibly nice to you and seemed to take after their mother in terms of temperament.

You had started keeping perishables in the house as well, which is something you’d refused to do before. You cooked every night, and it felt really good. It felt like you were… home.

You used the shooting range at least once a week and had become friends with all of the officers. Sometimes when you were off work, you’d go by and play cards with the one who was manning the phones that day. It kept you occupied, while at the same time, there was literally nowhere safer than a police station, so you always felt like you could let your guard down there.

Of all the officers, you felt closest to Shahan. You couldn’t deny you had an attraction to him, and he had gone out of his way to make you feel safe in your own home, going so far as to install bars on the windows and security cameras at all the entry points.

Ramadan was coming up, and you wanted to do something nice to thank him. Maybe you could cook him something for Iftar, or the first meal when the fasting ended in the evening. You had done some research, and according to what you’d read, dessert was the most important part of the ending of the fast in some Islamic cultures, and dates had cultural significance, so you thought you might try your hand at making halva paste sweetened with honey, with mashed dates and chopped nuts in it.

You wondered if your wolf friend, who you’d nicknamed “Shadow” since all he did was follow you like a baby duck who’d imprinted on you, would take offense to you showing attention to another man. Frowning, you brushed that thought away. He had no claim to you, and if he was going to get jealous over you doing something nice for a friend, he wasn’t worthy of you anyway.

You often contemplated about whether or not Shahan was your wolf friend, but you couldn’t ask. More to the point, you had made the decision to not speculate about his identity. Every time you began to wonder, you shut down that train of thought immediately. Knowing who he was would complicate things. Everything was nice the way it was, and you didn’t want to ruin it. It couldn’t last forever, you knew, but all the same, there was no reason to destroy the peace prematurely.

On a Wednesday, you were playing rummy with Ariell when you asked, “Have you gone through this ritual thing? I’ve been here long enough to see other people going through it and everyone seems really happy about it, but I just can’t wrap my brain around it.”

You’d figured out Ariell was a werewolf by deduction. Just about everyone at the station was. Honestly, now that you’d had time to acclimate to the oddness of the townspeople, determining who was and wasn’t a werewolf had become almost a sixth sense.

“Oh, yeah,” He said. “As weird as it seems from the outside, I can guarantee you it’s even weirder from the wolf’s point of view.”

“How so?”

“Well,” He said with a sigh, laying down a three and picking up another card from the pack. “I met my wife Lace over eight years ago now. I was travelling because I’d spent my whole life in this tiny town and I just wanted to get away for awhile. I had no plans or aspirations other than seeing as much of the world as I could. And that’s how I met Lace.”

“What happened?”

“Well, to be perfectly honest,” He said, leaning back in his chair. “I fucked up royally. When I saw her, as soon as our eyes met, there was this… spark. We spent a glorious week together, making love, going on dates, talking for hours, and just generally wrapped up in each other. And then… I left.”

“Left?” You said, laying down a card. “Why?”

“Because I was young and stupid and I didn’t realize what was happening at first. When I did, it scared the shit out of me. I was twenty-one and thought I was too young to be tied down, too young to be in love, too young for a mate. I wasn’t even sure I believed in the whole soulmate thing until I met her, and then when I realized it was real, I… I bolted. I couldn’t face the reality of it.”

“So it really is like love at first sight?” You asked doubtfully.

“Ehhh,” Ariell replied, shrugging. “A lot of people might think of it like that, but I’m more of a pragmatist.”

“So what’s your take on it, then?”

He put his cards face down on the table and knitted his fingers in front of his mouth. “You know how… you’re out somewhere, maybe a party or in a cafe or whatever, and you’re not really paying attention to anyone, but suddenly you catch sight of someone in the room, and you don’t even know them, but there’s this… instant attraction. There’s something about them that makes you want to go over and talk to them: a tenuous thread of connection that compels you to want to know more about them. Have you ever felt that?”

“Yeah, once or twice,” You said.

“Okay, it’s like that, but amplified a million times over. It’s not necessarily love; it may not even be a physical attraction, just an intense desire of some kind you feel deep down in your bones that pulls you toward that person. I mean, when Lace and I first met, it was like a head-on collision: explosive and powerful and there was no stopping it. It was just sex at first, but then… I wanted to get to know her. I took her on dates, I asked her a million questions, and she did the same with me. We talked about anything and everything, and spent every waking moment together. It may not have started out as love, but it became love very quickly. Too quickly. And when I realized what was happening, it scared me shitless. So I ran.”

“What happened after that?”

“I got her pregnant, is what happened,” He said, picking up his cards.

“Oh, shit,” You replied in surprise.

“Yeah.” He had a look on his face that clearly said, _Oops_.

“So did she track you down or something, hellbent on revenge?”

“I expected her to, but no, she didn’t,” He said, blowing out his breath forcefully. “She was going to raise the baby on her own and forget all about me, and I don’t blame her for that in the slightest, but when Ari turned one she shifted. My wife is a witch, not a were, and she didn’t know anything about raising one. She wanted our daughter to grow up among her own kind, so she found Hearthway Hollow through a friend of a friend. It was just chance that it happened to be my hometown.”

“What did she do when she saw you?”

“She smacked the piss out of me, justifiably. Then she introduced me to the daughter I didn’t know I had. That day, I swore to devote my life to both of them. And I haven’t faltered since.” He sat back in his seat and stared at the ceiling. “I thought about her every single day after I left, but I was scared to go back. I knew she was my mate, but because I was a coward, I destroyed what we had. I thought she’d hate me for the rest of her life. To this day, I can’t believe she forgave me, let alone married me. I’m the luckiest man alive.”

“I agree,” You told him. “I’d have shot you.”

He laughed and sat up straight. “And I wouldn’t have held it against you.”

You sighed. “It still feels… stalkerish to me,” You said, shaking your head.

He nodded sadly. “From your experiences, I’m not at all surprised that it does. But the ritual is based on consent. If you reject him, then that’s it. He can’t try again. He can’t keep bugging you. It’s over when _you_, as the recipient, decide it’s over. I think that’s the biggest difference. It all depends on what_ you _want. You’re the one in control, not him.”

“So if I told my wolf friend to stop coming around, I’d never see him again?”

“Not as a wolf, or a prospective mate, but he’d still be in town. You just wouldn’t know him. It’s one of the reasons the ritual’s anonymity works in the recipient’s favor. It’s less awkward for you should you decide to turn him down if you never know who he is.”

“But it sucks for him, though, right?” You asked.

He nodded in agreement. “Yeah. But that’s how it goes sometimes.”

Ariell had given you a lot to think about, and you went home after the game with your mind in a roil.

As you were making dinner, you heard a familiar scratching on the front door. Looking at the security monitor, you saw Shadow sitting on the porch outside. Smiling, you went to let him in.

“Hey, Shadow!” You said, clicking all the locks in place after he got his tall, slender body inside. “Did you have a good day today?”

Two happy barks. You had allowed him to answer yes or no questions, but that was the only communication you had permitted. Two barks for yes, one bark for no. He agreed to this arrangement happily, so long as it meant he’d get to have some semblance of a conversation with you.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it,” You said, bending to hug him around the neck as he tried to move his head to lick your face at the same time. “Hungry? I’m making chili.”

He barked two more times and danced in place, his claws _tick-tack_ing rapidly on the hardwood.

“You scuff up that floor and Billy’s gonna skin you,” You said with a laugh.

He barked again, and you thought he was laughing too.

You served up dinner and sat on the floor with him while he scarfed his food from the bowl. Then he joined you on the couch for some bingeing and fell asleep in your lap. He was gone by morning, as usual, having left a note wishing you a good day. You sometimes thought about waking early and pretending to sleep, just to catch a glimpse of him as a human, but you stuck to your guns about leaving his identity a secret.

One day… Maybe one day…

Ramadan began, and after some failed attempts, you managed to make a very good batch of Halva paste and some lavash bread, and walked it next door to the police station. It was just after dark when you arrived, and Shahan looked up and smiled when he saw you.

“Hey!” He said brightly, standing when you came in and jumping to help you with the containers, not able to see what was inside them. “What’s all this?”

“Happy Ramadan!” You said. “Is that right? Can I say happy Ramadan?”

He laughed. “Yeah, that’s fine.” He pointed. “Is that food, because I’m starving.”

“It is!” You said. “I made halva with honey, dates, and pistachios, and lavash bread.”

His jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me? I haven’t had halva since my grandma died!”

“And I brought whole dates, too, cause I know you’re supposed to eat those first.”

His smile got wide and warm, like it always did when he talked to you for any amount of time, his eyes glittering. “Wow, you really did your research, huh?”

You shrugged and smiled back. “You’ve helped me out a lot over the last few months, and I wanted to do something nice for you.”

“I appreciate it. And the fact that you made halva, which is literally my favorite, is…” He put a hand over his heart. “I’m touched, really.”

He helped you set down the food, and then you watched as he pulled out a prayer rug from a backpack so he could do the Maghrib, or sunset prayer, which was the fourth of the five daily prayers. You didn’t pray with him, but you did kneel next to him out of respect, watching his face as he bowed and listening to him mutter in Pashto.

“Are you super devout?” You asked when he was finished.

“I’m not a ‘pray every day’ kind of guy, but I do observe the important celebrations and holy days,” He replied, rolling up the rug. “I brought dinner with me. Want to join? There’s enough for two, and it’s better to break the fast with friends than by yourself.”

“Sure,” You said, briefly thinking about Shadow. Well, he could use his nose to find you.

You both ate the traditional three dates to break the fast, then he unpacked the dinner he’d brought. There was a lamb stew and vegetables rolled in flatbreads, plus fruit and a pastry called a konafah. All of it was delicious.

“This was great,” You said, wiping your mouth. “You’re a really good cook.”

“Thanks,” He said, smiling. “My Nia taught me a lot before she died, but she never got a chance to teach me how to make halva, which is why this is such a treat.”

“Well, dig in,” You said, handing him a butter knife.

He spread some of the paste onto the lavash bread you’d made and took a bite, his bright, beautiful eyes rolling closed as he moaned.

“Oh my god,” He said. “It’s so good.”

“Is it?” You asked, happily surprised.

“It’s amazing,” He said, gleefully shoving the rest of the piece of bread in his mouth and chewing with delight. “Almost better than Nia’s.”

“Aw,” You said. “Thank you.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but the phone rang. He sighed unhappily.

“I should get back to work,” He said. “But… thank you so much for the halva. And for celebrating with me.”

“It was my pleasure,” you said, and went in for a hug. The hug went on for longer than was perhaps necessary, all while the phone rang. You forced yourself to step back and bid him farewell. You could feel his eyes on you as you left.

You walked back home with a huge smile on your face, feeling lighter than air. A feeling which disappeared immediately when you saw the package sitting on your porch. Cold fingers of dread crawled up your spine and the steel bands were back, squeezing your lungs closed. You turned and sprinted back to the police station.

Shahan was just hanging up the phone as you fell through the door, close to hyperventilation.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, bounding around the desk. “What happened?”

“There’s something on my porch,” You gasped.

His face darkened. Your friend Shahan faded to the background and Officer Madhwari took over. He rushed out of the door with his hand on his side arm and strode over to your porch. He drew his gun, glanced at the package briefly, and opened your door.

“Police!” He called, stepping inside. To you, he whispered, “Stay close to me.”

You rushed to grab your gun and held it downward so you weren’t pointing it at Shahan, but you clicked the safety off. Shahan checked every room, every closet, and even looked in the attic, but no one was there. He holstered his firearm and told you to do the same. You complied.

He went out to pick up the package and brought it inside. It was wrapped in plain brown paper and had nothing on the outside: no writing, no stamps, nothing besides tape holding it closed. Shahan sniffed it deeply, trying to parse what it was by smell alone. He grimaced, and his eyes cut to you.

“What is it?” You asked him.

“Give me a second,” He said faintly, taking a pocket knife out and slitting the side open. He pulled out a small, plain grey box with a box top. Even you could smell the stench of decay and new immediately what was in it without having to ask. You covered your mouth as the tears came to your eyes.

“What do I do?” You asked him.

“Grab whatever you need. I’m taking you to Billy’s,” He said. He got on his radio, telling the other officers about what had happened and ordering them to gather the pack as you snatched up items hurriedly. When you were done, Shahan ushered you into his patrol car and sped off down to Billy’s house, which was only five minutes away.

Kamilla was at the house, and she and Billy were waiting for you outside. Billy had already shifted. You’d never seen him in his werewolf form: he was _massive_, bigger than any of the adult weres you’d seen yet. As soon as you arrived, he barked “_Stay here!_” And took off into the trees.

Kamilla put her arms around you and you sobbed into her shoulder. “It’s okay,” She was saying, patting your hair. You jumped when you felt a third hand on your back.

“It’s just me,” Shahan said. “The package had a trace of Gish’s scent on it, so the pack is using it to track him down. If he put the package on your doorstep while we were eating, then he hasn’t gotten far. We’ll find him. Don’t worry.”

You sniffled and nodded. He looked like he wanted to say more, but he nodded in return and got back into his cruiser, heading off down the road in the direction Billy had gone.

“Come in,” Kamilla said. Her mother, Maria, and Ellie were also there.

“Are you hurt?” Maria asked as you came forward.

“No,” You replied as she hugged you. “Just shaken up, I guess.”

“Don’t you worry, sweetie, the pack has some of the best trackers in the world. They’ll find this son of a bitch,” Maria said. You nodded and let her lead you to the kitchen and sit you at the table. Kamilla shifted and went outside to protect the house as Ellie made you tea.

The wait was anguish. Every once in a while, Ellie would get a text from her husband, Jack, who was helping with the search. Your heart jumped every time the ringtone sounded. There were signs of Gish in the forest, but they hadn’t caught sight of him yet.

Then, there was a call. Ellie took it just as Kamilla opened the door.

“Come outside,” She said. Gulping, you followed her.

There, on the lawn, was Shadow, but not the Shadow you knew. He was still slender and golden with a black strip down his back, he had the same glittering eyes, but rather than the complete wolf form you’d always seen, he was in his werewolf form, the halfway point between man and animal. He was tall, standing on his hind legs and towering over you, looking at you intensely. All you could do was stare at him.

“They found him,” Kamilla said. “He was almost to the highway, and we wouldn’t have been able to follow him, but they caught him before he could get too far. They’re holding him at a safe distance away from the town. Your friend here is going to take you out there.”

“Me?” You said in surprise. “Why?”

“We have our own ways of doing things,” Maria said when she came out on the porch to see what was happening. “This man hasn’t hurt anyone in town, just you. As such, what happens to him is your decision. Adam will want your opinion on the matter. And it’s a chance to confront him one last time. Do you want to pass on that?”

You thought about it. “No, I don’t.” You turned to Shadow. “Let’s go.”

He picked you up bridal-style and took off into the woods, holding you close to him. You hugged him around the neck and buried your face in his fur, smelling a clean, warm smell. Strangely, though, as the wind whipped past you, you caught a whiff of another scent.

Lamb stew and halva paste.

You knew it. You knew it had to be him. You felt a tear of both fear and relief fall from your eye and land on his shoulder.

“It’ll be okay,” He said in a low, grumbling voice. Those were the first words he had ever said to you in the entire three months you’d known him as a wolf. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear.”

“I know,” You replied, clinging more tightly.

You had lost track of time when he finally slowed to a stop and set you back on your feet. He got on all fours and shrunk from his werewolf form to his full wolf form. You understood why: if you decided to let Gish live, he couldn’t know about the nature of the town or the people who lived here.

Shadow barked once and nudged you forward, and you began to walk. There, in a clearing with the crescent moon visible in the night sky, Adam stood in front of Saul, Angelo, and Ariell in their human forms, guns drawn. Around them were at least a dozen wolves including Billy, all staring at you, flanking the officers in a circle that closed the middle figure inside. Shahan, as you suspected, was not there. At least, not in his human form.

Kneeling in the center with his hands cuffed behind his back was Gish. He was disheveled and it looked like he’d been in a fight. He was looking at you with an expression of pure hatred. Instinctively, you took a step back, but you felt Shadow behind you, a warmth at your back.

“Welcome,” Adam said, taking your hand and patting it reassuringly. “I told you we’d protect you, didn’t I?”

“And you proved it,” You said with a shaky smile.

“You understand why you’re here, don’t you?” He asked

You nodded, gulping. “Maria told me. I’d like to talk to him before I make a decision.”

Adam nodded wisely. “I understand.” And he stepped aside.

The circle of wolves let you enter, and Shadow took his place with them right at your back. Feeling his eyes on you gave you courage.

Before you ever had a chance to say anything, Gish began to hiss, “All I ever did was love you, you ungrateful bitch. All you had to do was let me, and none of this would have happened. You’re selfish; that’s always been your problem.”

The wolves around you began to growl and snarl, but you held up your hands. “No. Let him say what he wants.” And they quieted.

Gish’s eyes narrowed at your sudden ability to command wolves, but he didn’t let it stop him. “You’ve blown this whole thing out of proportion and gotten these people involved in our private business. You should be ashamed of yourself. I’ve done so much for you, and you never even thanked me for it. All I wanted was some appreciation, but that was apparently too much to ask from you. Nothing is good enough for you, is it? You’ll never do better than me and you know it. Who else would want a crazy slut like you?”

He finally stopped talking, glaring at you, and you looked down your nose at him.

“Thank you,” You said.

He smiled. “It’s about time you--”

“For making my decision for me,” You continued. “It’s the last time you get to do that.” You turned and walked away, saying to Adam as you passed, “He’s yours, fellas.”

Adam nodded and began to shift. There was a sound of terrified confusion from Gish behind you that gave way to a scream, but you didn’t look back. Shadow got up on his hind legs and held out his arms for you. You walked into them and let him take you home, the distant sounds of wolves attacking their prey fading the farther away you got.

Shadow took you back to Billy’s house, where Maria, Ellie, and Kamilla took you inside as you began to unravel. It was the first time you had come face to face with Gish since he had tried to kill you, and the weight of it was crashing down on you. Shadow made to follow you inside, but Maria stopped him.

“She needs to rest. This will have been extremely exhausting for her, mentally and emotionally. Come back later.”

Shadow grumbled agreement. You didn’t want him to go, but you were too stunned by everything that had happened to form a coherent sentence. Kamilla led you to an upstairs room with a bed and helped you get your shoes off, getting into the bed with you and holding you as you cried yourself to sleep.

The next morning, you woke to find Billy, Ivan, Ellie and her husband Jack, and Kamilla’s fiancee Corey sitting with her at the table, all of them eating breakfast. Billy got up and gave you a bone-crushing hug.

“You alright, kid?” He asked as he released you.

“Yeah, I think so,” You said. “Thanks, Billy.”

“Come on, get some food in you,” He said, pulling out a chair. “You look like shit.”

“Billy!” Maria hissed.

You waved her down, smiling weakly. “I’m sure he’s not wrong.”

You ate breakfast with the family and sat with them for a while. You considered going home, but you really didn’t feel like being alone.

Around midday, Shahan returned.

“Well?” You asked him.

“Coroner’s report says cause of death was mauling by wolves. It’s not a lie,” He said sardonically. “But it’s done.”

You didn’t know how to feel, so you just went numb.

“Want me to take you home?” He asked, and you nodded. After thanking Billy and hugging everyone, you got into Shahan’s cruiser and he drove you home. He walked you to your door.

“Will you come in for a minute?” You asked him.

“Sure,” He said, and followed you in. He watched as, after a moment’s contemplation, you took off your gun holster and pulled out your knife, mace, and taser. For the first time since you started running, stored it in your travel trunk, possibly for good. You were crying again, but you didn’t feel sad or scared or anything in particular. You were just crying.

“Are you alright?” Shahan asked in concern.

“I don’t know,” You said, your voice wavering.

He pulled you into a tight hug, one arm pulling you close to his body, and his other hand buried in your hair, holding your head to his shoulder.

“You were so brave,” He whispered into your ear. “I’m so proud of you.” Suddenly, as if he just realized what he was doing, he let go of you. “I, uh… I should get back to the station.”

“Shahan.”

“There’s a lot of paperwork left to do, and we have to notify his family.”

“Shahan, wait.”

“I’ll come back later to--”

“_Shadow!_”

He stopped in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob. His breathing was uneven as he turned to look at you, his eyes full of anxiety.

“It is you, isn’t it?” You asked, not really needing an answer.

He swallowed hard and let go of the doorknob unturned. “I’m… I’m sorry about the deer,” He said, his voice shaking. “If I had known, I’d never…”

You nodded. “I know.”

“I’m not like him,” He whispered pleadingly. “I would never…”

“I know.”

He was breathing very hard now, seemingly wrestling with himself. “I… I love you,” He said, apparently losing the fight with his own willpower. “I know you think it’s because of the mate connection thing, but it’s not that, I swear. You’re so brave and strong and smart and sweet. You’re so beautiful. I’ve never--”

He was cut off by you grabbing him by the ears and pulling him down for a kiss, which he returned with enthusiasm. He lifted you, and you wrapped your legs around his waist as he took you and laid you on the couch. Your hands moved to the buttons of his uniform, shaking so badly that you were barely able to get them undone. He wasn’t much better; his breathing was erratic and he was kissing your face and skin in a frenzy.

“Wait,” You said. “Aren’t you supposed to refrain from intimacy during Ramadan?”

“Allah forgives,” He said, muffled against your skin.

You huffed a laugh. “Wait, Shahan. Wait, wait, wait,” You told him, pushing on his shoulders.

“What is it?” He asked, his eyes dilated wide and trained on your lips. “Do you want to stop?”

“It’s not that,” You said. “Let’s finish the ritual.”

His eyes widened in shock and delight. “Are y--really?”

You nodded and smiled at him, kissing him sweetly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. What was next after accepting gifts?”

His brow furrowed. “But you didn’t accept any of my gifts.”

“You brought me takeout, remember?” You said with a smile.

He blinked in surprise. “Oh. Yeah. Um… next is scenting.”

“Well, let’s do that, then?”

He grinned wide and his beautiful eyes sparkled. He finished getting undressed, and undressed you as well, and he started to shift. Golden fur sprouted from his skin with a black strip down his spine. He grew in height, slender and trim.

“My Shadow,” You said fondly.

He laughed and came in close, rubbing his face and cheeks to your body, licking you and sniffing you as he went. You scratched and petted him as he scented you to his heart’s desire.

“What’s next?” You asked him with a grin.

He grinned back. “You know what’s next.”

He picked you up, taking you into the bedroom. He laid you on the bed, licking up your body, his hands softly moving up your sides to cup your breasts, his thumb caressing your nipples as they hardened.

God, it had been so long…

“Shahan,” You breathed. He pulled himself up your body and kissed you, deep and hard. He pressed close to you, and you could feel something pressing against your thigh. The tingle you were feeling between your legs grew to an ache, and you opened your legs wide and wiggled a little.

He seemed to get the message, kissing back down your body until his tongue pressed against the pearl of your body, making you cry out. He linked his fingers with yours as he slurped and sucked, his growl vibrating through your core as he devoted all his attention to you. The muscles in your buttocks and thighs contracted uncontrollably as you got closer and closer to the cusp of pleasure, groaning as the wave crashed into you full force. His eyes watched as you writhed in ecstasy, your breasts heaving as the jolt of euphoria hit your brain and whited out your vision.

As you relaxed, he reared up on his knees. You felt him nudge against your entrance, but he waited, leaning on his arms and looking you in the eye.

“Yes?” He asked.

“Yes.”

As the word left your lips, he pushed himself slowly into you, and all you could feel was the throbbing of both his heartbeat and your own as he buried himself to the hilt inside you, the stretch pinching slightly but it so good that you didn’t care. He moved slowly at first, but quickly gaining momentum, creating a friction that made your eyes roll back in your head.

“I love you, Shahan,” You replied, and his pace became frenetic, pulling another blinding orgasm from you.

“I love you,” He growled into the skin of your neck.

“_Oh, god,_” You gasped. The orgasm was so powerful that you thought you might pass out, but he pulled out of you and flipped you easily.

“We’re not done yet, my love,” He said as he pressed the front of his body to the back of yours, lifting your hips in the air. You gripped the sheets in your hands as he re-entered you from behind, thrusting hard and fast. He slowed, and you felt him press the knot against you.

“Yes?”

“Yes.”

He pushed and it popped into place as he groaned above you, panting hard in your ear. You turned your head to kiss him over and over as he grinded himself against you hard and deep, and you moaned again and again, the pleasure drawn out and continuous, as if you were just in a perpetual state of orgasm. You felt him throb inside as he came, and he howled loudly, his spine straightening and his head pointed at the ceiling.

You did actually pass out at some point, and when you came to, you were lying on Shahan’s bare chest and he was petting your back softly. Evening light was filtering into the room.

“Mmm…” You groaned, stretching.

“Welcome back,” He said, kissing you softly.

“Sorry,” You said. “I didn’t mean to knock out on you.”

“No worries, honey,” He said. “It had been a day. Besides, I took it as a compliment.”

You snickered. “Good.” You sat up and looked out the windows. “It’s late. Is it almost time for Iftar?”

“Yeah,” He said, smiling at you sweetly. “And I could eat an entire deer.”

You made a face. “Not funny.”

He laughed and placed his hand on your face, kissing the top of your head. “Sorry.”

You nuzzled into him and he bent to kiss you. You savored it, lingering. Reluctantly, you pulled away and got up to get dressed.

After prayer and Iftar, you were sitting with him, just sort of talking and being close, when you asked him, “Listen, I need to do something that’s going to be very difficult for me. Will you stay?”

“Of course, baby. I’m here,” He said, rubbing your back.

You nodded and took out your phone. After a moment, you dialed a number and held it to your ear, your hand shaking. After a few rings, you heard a woman answer.

“_Hello?_”

You tried, and failed, to keep the tears from falling.

“Mom?” You said, your voice very unsteady. “It’s me.”


End file.
